EEVblog #833 - Mailbag

[Groucho2005]

The label "Atheist" is similar, it gives you one very concrete piece of information about a person. That makes it a useful.

It's still a label that should not be necessary. It only exists because most of the world's population suffers from a delusion and it is therefore considered "normal" to be a member of some form of religious group or belief system.

[miguelvp]

meh, religion has more to do with human interaction than divinity.

Fear of an all mighty God might not be necessary, but it does makes a difference.

Cue in the medieval times. But even then the Church was responsible for the education of the People.

Yeah, great atrocities were made in the name of God, but the same is true on the lack of  one.

I'm not religious, as in I don't go to church or follow the establishment, but I do follow the path of Jesus with his unconformity towards the establishment, to me he was just a man that had so much influence that he is still of consequence.

I will probably get flak for saying this, but to me John Lennon was pretty similar to Jesus Christ. Both of them, just men, but Jesus will keep being of consequence while John wont.

So why would we need a Santa that kids fear to be naughty or nice? Well, it works.

What I find funny is that Muslims, Jews and Christians have been battling over centuries when they are all part of the same God and doctrine.

I guess the Catholics are finally acknowledging  that Judaism is ok (heck Jesus was one), what will it take until they get a consensus that Muslims are on the same ball park.

So this is a point of view of someone that was raised Catholic, but even if it didn't catch-on on me I do tend to keep the value of "do to your neighbor as yourself"

The thing is, that it's never been about religion but economics, so at the end good myths become a problem because of the  social-economic-political agendas.

myself, being raised Catholic but not a follower of the Church (or the political branch of Catholicism) I do believe on a planetary consciousness, just as our own consciousness come from smaller parts.

I mean, does good and evil differ from the religious point of view? did the churches on the planet endorsed food diets for the good of their congregations?

I think I drank too much of Christ's blood, but at the end of the day all of my generation was raised religiously and the new generation less so.

Who cares about science in this aspect, and what does that brings us? Maybe for the best, maybe not, no matter what we will keep on going while we can.

I guess my point is, do you still think if you have been naughty or nice?

[Pentium100]

Well obviously, because "non-member of the Hillside Golf Club" doesn't give you any information about the person. They might not play golf or they might be a member of the Lakeside Golf Club. You don't know. 

Wouldn't "atheist" be more like "does not play golf" (this would probably be more accurate) or "is not a member of any golf club" instead of not being a member of a particular golf club?

[Fungus]

The label "Atheist" is similar, it gives you one very concrete piece of information about a person. That makes it useful.

It's still a label that should not be necessary.

No disagreement there.

(it will be abolished after we win...)

[Fungus]

I guess my point is, do you still think if you have been naughty or nice?

A much more important point is: Is religion harmless?

[miguelvp]

I guess my point is, do you still think if you have been naughty or nice?

A much more important point is: Is religion harmless?

Of course not.

Its wine harmless?

hey, we all take it as it comes and deal with it.

[EEVblog]

The dynamic in two opposing ideologic bubbles is often very symmetrical. I would prefer to see fellow atheists taking the high road, recognizing that others prefer a different model to conduct their lives.

Sure: So long as the religious will keep their superstitions out of government policy and don't require an official state superstition that the people in power have to pretend to adhere to.
Trouble is: They don't. They'll fight tooth and nail to keep it in there. I expect to see a gay president of the USA long before I see an openly Atheist one.
As long as they're fighting to keep it in there it's up to the Atheists to fight to get rid of it.

Yup, that's the way I see it.
I don't want to have to call myself an atheist, but I feel I must, because religion still intrudes upon my everyday life and impacts society in major ways.
If they paid their taxes, if they stayed out of and didn't influence politics or other socials issues (that can and should be be evidence & reason based), and if they stayed out of schools and did not indoctrinate children, then no one would bother to call themselves atheists any more and hold them to account. There would be no need to.

[miguelvp]

Don't hate the player, hate the game, comes to mind.

You, me, whoever, can't change things after millennia. Actually the game is not half bad if people didn't cheat

[EEVblog]

Well, this can also be spun in the other direction. Atheists are arrogant because they don't submit themselves to the supreme being that created them and the entire universe.

It's easy to confuse arrogance with simply having reasoned based arguments and facts and asserting them.

[zapta]

The label "Atheist" is similar, it gives you one very concrete piece of information about a person. That makes it useful.

It's still a label that should not be necessary.

No disagreement there.

(it will be abolished after we win...)

This's true for any point of view. If everybody is X than we don't need the label X.  Yet another symmetry.

It's interesting to see how everyone thinks that his personal point of view is so special and different from all the others, 'the real truth'.

[zapta]

Yup, that's the way I see it.
I don't want to have to call myself an atheist, but I feel I must, because religion still intrudes upon my everyday life and impacts society in major ways.
If they paid their taxes, if they stayed out of and didn't influence politics or other socials issues (that can and should be be evidence & reason based), and if they stayed out of schools and did not indoctrinate children, then no one would bother to call themselves atheists any more and hold them to account. There would be no need to.

That's a different topic of using the power of the government to force one's agenda on others. This is done by virtually any group. It bothers you went it goes against you agenda and doesn't even it's the same (I observed it in other threads).

One good solution is a restricted  government that puts high value on personal liberty.

[george graves]

It's easy to confuse arrogance with simply having reasoned based arguments and facts and asserting them.

We get it Dave. Move on. For the love of "God" - what ever that may be. 99% of us could care less what you think of religion, child rearing, marriage, taxes and 1000 other topics. (beside your sack hangers)  We're good with thinking for ourselves.  That's what's makes us "us". 

[EEVblog]

We get it Dave. Move on. For the love of "God" - what ever that may be. 99% of us could care less what you think of religion

It seems you are the 1%, otherwise you would have just ignored my comments.

[EEVblog]

That's a different topic of using the power of the government to force one's agenda on others. This is done by virtually any group. It bothers you went it goes against you agenda and doesn't even it's the same (I observed it in other threads).

Nope, nothing to do with my "agenda".
No other lobby group gets to open the senate parliament every day with their propaganda:
http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Senate/Powers_practice_n_procedures/aso/so050
I have no problem with religious groups petitioning parliament etc in the same way that any other group has the right to, it's in fact their right, and I'll fight for that right.
But when they get special treatment like that, special "respect", and the ability to reinforce their doctrine at every parliament session, that crap has to stop.

[Groucho2005]

We get it Dave. Move on. For the love of "God" - what ever that may be. 99% of us could care less what you think of religion, child rearing, marriage, taxes and 1000 other topics. (beside your sack hangers)  We're good with thinking for ourselves.  That's what's makes us "us".

Why do some people get so touchy when it comes to discussing religion? Isn't this a discussion board where people exchange opinions, etc.?

Also, "99% of us could care less what you think..." would mean that 99% do care.

[EEVblog]

Why do some people get so touchy when it comes to discussing religion?

Because most "believers" feel deep down that it's likely BS, but they don't want to go there because, well, insert any of a number of psychological reasons. So they don't like being reminded of it.
People inherently like the status quo, it's comfortable.

Isn't this a discussion board where people exchange opinions, etc.?

It is. Maybe George needs one of these new fangled "safe spaces"? I've heard they are popular in universities now 

[Radio Tech]

Those pseudo tube amplifiers always amuse me. So much trouble just to use a shitty generic valve, and then they use 2 jellybean opamps as output stage... Not to mention the hv switchmode psu close to the audio path.

Wonder if I could use this big boy for a headphone amplifier

That's not a headphone amplifier tube.

Now this is a headphone amplifier tube mate.

200cm tall 370 diameter

[EEVblog]

200cm tall 370 diameter

Quiz:
Which item will get you flagged at the airport check-in? The valve or the lighter?

[Fungus]

A much more important point is: Is religion harmless?

Of course not.

Its wine harmless?

If the government required the president+the senators+the mayors+the politicians to drank wine the whole time they were in session, if schoolteachers drank wine at school when they were taking care of my kids, I'd be against wine as well (and for the same reasons... it impairs judgement, it rots the brain, it impedes critical though)

Wine isn't enforced like that though, it's still a choice, it doesn't need any action taken against it.

[Radio Tech]

200cm tall 370 diameter

Quiz:
Which item will get you flagged at the airport check-in? The valve or the lighter?

Hmmm Good question Dave. I have never been through an airport check in but I would say the lighter since it has fuel involved. Just a guess. Although the tube could be broken and you could use the glass for a weapon.
We'll let others answer.

[Fungus]

Why do some people get so touchy when it comes to discussing religion?

Because most "believers" feel deep down that it's likely BS, but they don't want to go there because, well, insert any of a number of psychological reasons. So they don't like being reminded of it.
People inherently like the status quo, it's comfortable.

And THIS, ladies and gentlemen, is the reason why we need the label "Atheist", this is why atheists need to make plenty of noise - to let those people know they're not alone, that there are other people out there who think it's BS too.

[AF6LJ]

200cm tall 370 diameter

Quiz:
Which item will get you flagged at the airport check-in? The valve or the lighter?

Both here in the People's Republic of Kalifornia.

[EEVblog]

Hmmm Good question Dave. I have never been through an airport check in but I would say the lighter since it has fuel involved. Just a guess.

Bzzzzt.
https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ash/ash_programs/hazmat/passenger_info/media/airline_passengers_lighters_faq.pdf
Valve companies don't have powerful lobby groups 

[Radio Tech]

Bzzzzt.
https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ash/ash_programs/hazmat/passenger_info/media/airline_passengers_lighters_faq.pdf
Valve companies don't have powerful lobby groups 

HA! would of never thought,  But I saw no mention of butane power soldering irons on that page.....

[rollatorwieltje]

That's not a headphone amplifier tube.

Now this is a headphone amplifier tube mate.

200cm tall 370 diameter

Looks pretty much identical?

Mine came out of a 3kW broadcast radio transmitter, it had 2 of these things in parallel. Bit silly to use, just the filament alone takes 100W. On top of that the HV stuff was pretty lethal, 4kV at almost half an amp.